KUALA LUMPUR: Nur Fathiah Syazwana Shaharuddin is harnessing her strength in the social media to rally support from voters in her first foray into the country's general election.
Better known as Cleopatra among her social media followers, Nur Fathiah is among 10 candidates vying for the Batu parliamentary constituency in the 15th General Election (GE15) on Nov 19.
The 28-year-old said the majority of new voters are turning to the various social media platforms to get updates on GE15, including candidates contesting in the polls.
"Most of the campaigns I run on social media get more than a million views and this is the source of strength to fight (in the election).
"I still conduct physical campaigns to meet face-to-face voters at the Batu parliamentary constituency.
"I am sure the voters in Batu already know who I am plus the struggle for which I am championing," she said when met on her campaign trails today.
Nur Fathiah, who is the founder of the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory Women's Alliance Action Organisation (Haaa), said she was confident that the reforms that she carry out can help achieve the wishes of the people in Batu.
She also took a swipe at previous members of parliament at the constituency when she claimed that they had failed to carry out their responsibilities.
"I am confident because we are independent, we do not adhere to any party and interference from their higher leadership.
"I hope the physical and online campaign will be a strength for me to stand out more in order to realise the wishes of the people in Batu," Nur Fathiah said.
She is one of five independent candidates contesting in Batu in GE15.
The other independent candidates contesting the seat include former PKR leader Tian Chua, controversial lawyer and activist Siti Zabedah Kasim or better known as Siti Kasim; and Too Cheng Huat.
Also contesting are Datuk A. Kohilan Pillay from Barisan Nasional (BN), Perikatan Nasional's (PN) Azhar Yahya, Naganathan Pillai of Parti Warisan, Wan Azliana Wan Adnan (Parti Pejuang Tanah Air) and Mohd Zulkifli Abdul Fattah (Parti Rakyat Malaysia).
P. Prabakaran won the seat when he contested as independent in the 2018 general election. He polled 38,125 votes against three other contenders to win the seat in GE14.
Prabakaran, after that, joined PKR and is defending the seat in GE15 as Pakatan Harapan's candidate.